Many weighing devices are available today for measuring the weight of large and/or heavy objects such as aircraft and trucks. Typically, these weighing devices include at least one load cell tethered to a computing unit via a cable. The cable supplies electricity to the load cell, and transmits weight data from the load cell to the computing unit, where the data may be processed.
In most aircraft and heavy vehicle weight measurement applications, a plurality of load cells are required to support and measure the weight. The weight data from the load cells are then transmitted over respective cables to the computing unit and collectively processed to generate a total weight of the object. Because of the large size of the object, it is not uncommon to use cables of considerable length for the coupling between the load cells and the computing unit. There are certain undesirable side effects associated with the use of long cables for transmitting data. First, the weight data, while being transmitted over the cables, are more susceptible to corruption due to electromagnetic noise. Therefore, the longer the cable, the more exposure to the noisy environment. Second, it is inconvenient to set up the load cells, route the individual cables around obstacles to reach the load cells, plug the cables one by one into the load cells, and plug the other ends of the cables into the computing unit.
Accordingly, it is advantageous to eliminate the cables and the external computing unit by making each load cell self-contained. The self-contained weighing system is placed at each weigh point of the object, determines the weight and provides a display of the measured weight at the point of measurement.
The present invention provides for a self-contained weighing system and is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.